Wild Arctic Journey Svalbard Far North
Wild Arctic journey Svalbard, to the far north of Europe, above the arctic circle to encounter the northern Arctic wildlife in their natural world.
The wild Arctic in Svalbard, also called Spitsbergen, is an archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. Most people I know asked me where on earth is that? Far north, nearly in the middle between Norway and the North Pole, north the Arctic circle, around 74 – 81 degrees longitude. Wow, never been so far up north. We went further to the north with the boat – the pure wild Arctic, indeed!
Polar Bear eating seaweed! I have learned that a Polar Bear eats nearly everything when hungry! Like this one eating seaweed.
So better do not meet one on foot, you might get eaten! Usually, the Polar Bears follow their “living food” with the pack ice. Some just miss the train and get stuck on Svalbard’s islands. Some others try to swim to the far away pack ice. Indeed, they can not reach it and drown on their way, sadly. Since the pack ice melts more and more every year, it means the way is more extended to swim for a Polar Bear to reach its “food” source.
How far can a Polar Bear swim
How far can a Polar Bear swim to reach its typical food source, the seals, the pack ice …etc.?
I do not know the answer to how far a Polar Bear can swim correctly! Scientists recorded 90 – 420 miles with GPS trackers! But the pack ice shrinks every year more, the distance gets larger and larger. Can Polar Bears swim 500 or even 1000 miles when needed?
One sentence I heard quite often from friends and neighbors when I told them that I go to Svalbard: “What do you want up there? There is nothing, just wild Arctic.” Well, above a polar bear resting on pack-ice with a beautiful sunset above the horizon. I found so much in the Arctic!
Arctic, a remote place
It is a remote place, but so much to see. One has just to open their eyes. When I flew into Svalbard, I saw it from the air, my thoughts were; hope I brought enough hard drives, memory cards to store all my photographs on! All that I capture with my eyes, with my nature photography, with the wildlife photographs, I hoped to have enough space to store all that. In the end, I just had enough! 2 more days, then I would have been in trouble with storing photographs.
The real Natural World of a remote place with its wild animals, wildlife in their natural habitat. From a walrus swimming in the ocean to the magnificent polar bears. The most significant contrast to my Africa / Asia trips! I did have enough storage along. 2 big external hard drives, for double backup, enough memory cards. It was just enough for 9 nights on a boat and 2-3 days in Longyearbyen. The photographs I took in Longyearbyen I uploaded in the Hotel via PC on Internet storage, just to have enough space. You never know what to expect when out there!
Time for departure
After 2 days in Longyearbyen, it was time to depart with the boat. I shared the cabin with a lovely woman from Sweden. We drove out from Longyearbyen into the arctic sea. Oh the sunset, wow, a blow-your-mind sunset I haven’t seen so far in my life. The waves which followed, hui, I guess the seasickness people should bring enough sea sickness pills along. Undoubtedly, you want to enjoy your trip, bring some. I took them too, even that I do not get seasick. My thought was better to take them and to be able to photograph the vastness of the Arctic sea with its beautiful icebergs.
The above Polar bear is dirty. Usually bears roll in the snow, but on this island was not much snow left in September! His last bath/swim must have been a little while ago. Well, he could have joined the walruses swimming in the Artic sea below.
Above the sunrise light in the arctic with an iceberg drifting in Kongsfjorden. The light from the sunrise was to dream of! On top of the sunrise took ages, not done in 3min, it took very long, about 1-2 hours!
Polar bear walking along the cliffs of the Arctic Ocean in Svalbard. Black and White Fine Art Photograph.
Above one of my favorite photographs from Svalbard. I call this photograph “Born in Svalbard.” More about my trip to the Arctic you can read in my post photo journey through the Arctic or discover all stories of my journeys.
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Absolutely stunning photos Anette!
Thank you very much Sonat 🙂